2006-2010, B.S. in Psychology and minor in Computer Science, Peking University

2010-2016, PhD, Brain&Cognitive Sciences, University of Rochester, USA

2016-2020, Postdoc, University of Minnesota, USA.

2020-2020, Postdoc, National Institute of Mental Health, USA.

2020-2025, Principal Investigator, Shanghai Jiao Tong University

2026-Now, Tenure-Track Associate Professor, Peking University

Yang, L, Xie, X., Zheng, W., Fang, F.*, Zhang, R.Y.*. (2026) Neural prediction errors as a unified cue of abstract visual reasoning. IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence (TPAMI), 48(2):1795-1810. LinkPDF.

Xia, Y.F., Gao.Y.Y., Cheng, Z.J., Fang, Z., Li, W., Kishimoto, T., Guo, L., Jiang, H., Zhang, R.Y.*. Atypical contributions of reward decisions to momentary mood in individuals with methamphetamine use disorder. BMC Psychiatry , 26, 57. LinkPDF

Yang, L., Zhen, H., Li, L., Li, Y., Zhang, H., Xie, X., Zhang, R.Y.*. (2025). Functional diversity of visual cortex improves constraint-free natural image reconstruction from human brain activity. Fundamental Research, 5(6), 2639-2648. LinkPDF

Huang, L., Shen, S., Sun, Y., Ou, S., Zhang, R.Y., Lange, F.P., Zhang, X. (2025). Center-surround inhibition in expectation and its underlying computational and artificial neural network models. eLife, 14:RP107301. LinkPDF

Teng, X.*, Zhang, R.Y.*. (2025). Sequential temporal anticipation characterized by neural power modulation and in recurrent neural networks. eLife, 13:RP99383. LinkPDF

Cheng, X., Shen, J., Li, J., Yuan, W., Wang, D., Wang, H., Zhang, R.Y., Xia, Y., Cao, X., Sha, W., He, S., Liu, Y., Tang, J., Zhang, Y., Cheng, Y., Yuan, T., & Zhao, D. (2025). Decision-Making Signatures of Methamphetamine and Alcohol Use Disorders. Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bpsc.2025.08.008, LinkPDF

Luo, G., Ma, X., Yea, J., Liu, Y., Xia, Y., Li, C., Kuang, Y., Zhang, R.Y., Lou, S., Yu, K., Wu, M., Li, W. (2025). Audio multi-feature fusion detection for depression based on graph convolutional networks. Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci, 1150(1), 309-320. LinkPDF

Zhang, R. Y.#, Zhao, Y.J.#, Zhang, L., Ran, X., Chen, J., Ku, Y. (2025). Unexpected higher resilience to distraction during visual working memory in schizophrenia. Schizophrenia, 11, 93. LinkPDF

Tomoko Kishimoto#, Sun, L.#, Wang, C., Xu, H., Fu, Y., Cheng, Z.J., Jin, J., Zhang, R.Y.*. (2025). Behavioral and computational signatures of visual working memory deficits in adolescents with anxiety disorder. Current Psychology (44),10754-10768. LinkPDF

Cheng, Y.A., Sanayei, M., Chen, X., Jia, K., Li, S., Fang, F., Watanabe, T., Thiele, A., Zhang, R.Y.* (2025). A neural geometry approach comprehensively explains apparently conflicting models of visual perceptual learning. Nature Human Behaviour, 9, 1023-1040. LinkPDF

Zhang, Y., Hedley, F.E., Zhang, R.Y.*, Frances Jin*. (2025).Towards quantitative cognitive-behavioral modeling of psychopathology: An active inference account of social anxiety disorder. Journal of Psychopathology and Clinical Science,134(4),363-388. LinkPDF

Pan, W., Geng, H., Zhang, L., Fengler, A., Frank, M.J., Zhang, R.Y.*, Hu, C.P.*. (2025). dockerHDDM: A user-friendly environment for Bayesian Hierarchical Drift-Diffusion Modeling. Advances in Methods and Practices in Psychological Science. https://doi.org/10.1177/25152459241298700. LinkPDF

Yang, L., Zhang, R.Y., Chen, Q., Xie, X. (2025). Learning with enriched inductive biases for vision-language models. International Journal of Computer Vision. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11263-025-02354-1. LinkPDF

Chai, Y*. Zhang, R.Y. (2024). Exploring methodological frontiers in laminar fMRI. Psychoradiology, 4, kkae027. LinkPDF

Li S, Li Y*, Zhang, R.Y.*. (2024). Reconstructing continuous language from brain signals measured by fMRI based brain-computer interface. Brain-X, 2:e70001. LinkPDF

Gao, Y-Y., Fang, Z., Zhou, Q.*, Zhang, R.Y.*. (2024). Enhanced 'learning to learn' through a hierarchical dual-learning system: the case of action video game players. BMC Psychology, 12, 460. LinkPDF

Yang, L., Zhang, R.Y., Wang, Y., Xie, X. (2024). MMA: Multi-Modal Adapter for Vision-Language Models. In Proceedings of the IEEE/CVF Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition (CVPR), 23826-23837. LinkPDF

Fang, Z., Zhao, M., Xu, T., Li, Y., Xie, H., Quan, P., Geng, H., Zhang, R.Y.*. (2024) Individuals with anxiety and depression use atypical decision strategies in an uncertain world. eLife 13:RP93887. LinkPDF

Wang, Q.*, Wang, Q., Zhang, R.Y.*. (2023). Claim causality with clarity. Psychoradiology, 3, kkad007. LinkPDF

Cheng, Z.J.#, Yang, L.#, Zhang, W.H., Zhang, R.Y.*. (2023). Representational geometries reveal differential effects of response correlations on population codes in neurophysiology and functional magnetic resonance imaging. Journal of Neuroscience43(24), 4498-4512. LinkPDF.

Zhao, S., You, H., Zhang, R.Y., Si, B., Zhen, Z., Wan, X., Wang, D.H. (2023). An interpretable neuro-symbolic model on raven’s progressive matrices reasoning. Cognitive Computation15(5), 1703-1724. LinkPDF

Kuang, Y., Ma, D., Lan, Z.H., Zeng, S.H., Li, Y., Shang, M., Zhang, R.Y., Wang, L.H., Zhao, B.L., Li, W.D. (2023). The rapid change of mental health in college students after on-campus quarantine in Shanghai 2022 Covid lockdown. Frontiers in Public Health, 11, 1132575. LinkPDF

Yang, L., You, H., Zhen, Z., Wang, D-H., Wan, X., Xie, X., Zhang, R.Y.*. (2023). Neural prediction errors enable abstract analogical reasoning in human standard intelligence tests. In International Conference on Machine Learning (ICML). PMLR. LinkPDF.

Xu, Y.#, Yang, L.#, You, H., Zhen, Z., Wang, D-H., Wan, X., Xie, X., Zhang, R.Y.*. (2023). RuleMatch: matching abstract rules for semi-supervised learning of human standard intelligence tests. In Proceedings of the 32nd International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence (IJCAI)LinkPDF.

Kong, L.#, Qiu, S.#, Chen, Y., He, Z., Huang, P., He, Q., Zhang, R.Y., Feng, X-Q, Deng, L, Li, Y, Yan, F., Yang, G-Z., Feng, Y. (2023). Assessment of vibration modulated regional cerebral blood flow with MRI. NeuroImage, 119934. LinkPDF

Y, A., Lu, W., Wang, S., You, H., Zhang, R.Y., Wang, D.H., Zhen, Z., Wan, X. (2022). Visual perception inference on raven’s progressive matrices by semi-supervised contrastive learning. In (eds) Artificial Intelligence. CICAI 2022. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 13605. Springer, Cham. (best student paper award)LINKPDF

Grier, M.D., Yacoub, E., Adriany, G., Lagore, R.L., Harel, N., Zhang, R. Y., Lenglet, C., Ugurbil, K., Zimmermann*, J., Heibronner, S.R*. (2022). Ultra-high field (10.5T) diffusion-weighted MRI of the macaque brain. NeuroImage, 119200. LinkPDF

Geng, H., Chen, J.*, Hu, C.P., Jin, J, Raymond C. K. Chan, Li, Y., Hu, X., Zhang, R.Y.*, Zhang, L. (2022). Promoting computational psychiatry in China. Nature Human Behaviour, 6, 615-617. LinkPDF

Zhao, Y.J.#, Ma, T.#, Zhang, L., Ran, X., Zhang, R. Y.*, Ku, Y.* (2021). Atypically larger variability of resource allocation accounts for visual working memory deficits in schizophrenia. PLoS computational biology17(11): e1009544. LinkPDF

Zhang, R. Y.#, Chopin, A.#, Shibata, K., Lu, Z. L., Jaeggi, S., Buschkuehl, M., Green, C.S., & Bavelier, D. (2021). Action video game play facilitates 'learning to learn'. Communications biology, 4, 1154. LinkPDF

Zhang, C., Duan, X., Wang, L., Li, Y., Yan, B., Hu, G., Zhang, R. Y.*, Tong, L*. (2021). Dissociable neural representations of adversarially perturbed images in deep neural networks and the human brain. Frontiers in Neuroinformatics, 15, 677925. LinkPDF

Yang, L., Zhang, R. Y., Li, L., Xie, X. (2021). SimAM: a simple, parameter-free attention module for convolutional neural networks. In International Conference on Machine Learning (ICML). PMLR. LinkPDF

Kishimoto, T., Wen, X., Li, M., Zhang, R. Y., Yao, N., Huang, Y., Qian, M. (2021). Vigilance-avoidance toward negative faces in social anxiety with and without comorbid depression. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 12, 410. LinkPDF

Barbot, A., Park, W. J., Zhang, R. Y., Ng, C., Huxlin, K. R., Tadin, D., Yoon, G. (2021). Functional reallocation of sensory processing resources caused by long-term neural adaptation to altered optics. eLife, 10, e58734. LinkPDF

Liu, S., Zhang, R. Y., & Kishimoto, T. (2021). Analysis and prospect of clinical psychology based on topic models: hot research topics and scientific trends in the latest decades. Psychology, health & medicine26(4), 395-407. LinkPDF

Kay, K., Jamison, K. W., Zhang, R. Y., & Uğurbil, K. (2020). A temporal decomposition method for identifying venous effects in task-based fMRI. Nature Methods17(10), 1033-1039. LinkPDF

Zhang, R. Y.*, Wei, X. X., & Kay, K. (2020). Understanding multivariate brain activity: evaluating the effect of voxelwise noise correlations on population codes in functional magnetic resonance imaging. PLoS computational biology16(8), e1008153. LinkPDF

Zhang, R. Y.*, & Kay, K. (2020). Flexible top-down modulation in human ventral temporal cortex. NeuroImage218, 116964. LinkPDF

Margalit, E., Jamison, K. W., Weiner, K. S., Vizioli, L.,Zhang, R. Y., Kay, K. N., & Grill-Spector, K. (2020). Ultra-high-resolution fMRI of human ventral temporal cortex reveals differential representation of categories and domains. Journal of Neuroscience40(15), 3008-3024. LinkPDF

Yao, S., Akter, F., Zhang, R. Y., Li, Z. (2020). Letter to the Editor. Structural retinotopic analysis at 7-Tesla MRI in pituitary macroadenomas. Journal of Neurosurgery133(5), 1622-1624. LinkPDF

Yao, S., Lin, P., Vera, M., Akter, F., Zhang, R. Y., Zeng, A., Golby, A.J., Xu, G., Tie, Y., & Song, J. (2020). Hormone levels are related to functional compensation in prolactinomas: a resting-state fMRI study. Journal of the Neurological Science411, 116720. LinkPDF

Zhang, R. Y.*, Wei, X.X., Teng, X., Kay, K. (2019). Trial-by-trial voxelwise noise correlations improve population coding of orientation in human V1. Proceedings of Conference on Cognitive Computational Neuroscience (CCN)PDF

Zhang, C., Qiao, K., Wang, L., Tong, L., Hu, G.,Zhang, R. Y.*, & Yan, B*. (2019). A visual encoding model based on deep neural networks and transfer learning. Journal of Neuroscience Methods325, 108318. LinkPDF

Fang, W., Zhang, R. Y., Zhao, Y., Wang, L., & Zhou, Y. D. (2019). Attenuation of pain perception induced by the rubber hand illusion. Frontiers in Neuroscience13, 261. LinkPDF

Kay, K., Jamison, K. W., Vizioli, L., Zhang, R. Y., Margalit, E., & Ugurbil, K. (2019). A critical assessment of data quality and venous effects in ultra-high-resolution fMRI. NeuroImage189, 847-869. LinkPDF.

Zhang, R. Y.*, & Tadin, D. (2019). Disentangling locus of perceptual learning in the visual hierarchy of motion processing. Scientific reports9(1), 1-10. LinkPDFSupp

Zhang, R. Y.*, & Kay, K. (2018). The impact of noise correlation on multivariate pattern classification in fMRI. Proceedings of Conference on Cognitive Computational Neuroscience (CCN)PDF

Zhang, C., Duan, X., Zhang, R. Y.*, Tong, L*. (2018). Representation of adversarial images in deep neural networks and the human brain. Proceedings of Conference on Cognitive Computational Neuroscience (CCN)PDF

Zhao, Y., Ran, X., Zhang, L., Zhang, R. Y.*, Ku, Y*. (2018). Modeling visual working memory in Schizophrenia. Proceedings of Conference on Cognitive Computational Neuroscience (CCN)PDF

Park, W. J., Schauder, K. B., Zhang, R. Y., Bennetto, L., & Tadin, D. (2017). High internal noise and poor external noise filter characterize perception in autism spectrum disorder. Scientific reports7(1), 1-12. LinkPDF

Zhang, R. Y., Engel, S. A., & Kay, K. (2017). Binocular Rivalry: a window into cortical competition and suppression. Journal of Indian Institute of Sciences97(4), 477-485. LinkPDF

Zhang, R. Y.*, Kay, K. (2017). Attentional field model does not explain task-dependent spatial representation in human ventral temporal cortex. Proceedings of Conference on Cognitive Computational Neuroscience (CCN)PDF

Nyquist, J. B., Lappin, J. S., Zhang, R. Y., & Tadin, D. (2016). Perceptual training yields rapid improvements in visually impaired youth. Scientific reports6(1), 1-13. LinkPDF ~Press ReleaseScience Daily

Cavanaugh, M. R.#, Zhang, R. Y.#, Melnick, M. D., Das, A., Roberts, M., Tadin, D., Carrasco, M., & Huxlin, K. R. (2015). Visual recovery in cortical blindness is limited by high internal noise. Journal of Vision15(10):9, 1-18. LinkPDF

Bejjanki, V. R.#, Zhang, R. Y.#, Li, R., Pouget, A., Green, C. S., Lu, Z. L., & Bavelier, D. (2014). Action video game facilitates development of better perceptual templates. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences111(47), 16961-16966. LinkPDFSuppCBS News , Bloomberg

Zhang, R. Y.#, Kwon, O. S.#, & Tadin, D. (2013). Illusory Movement of stationary stimuli in the visual periphery: evidence for a strong centrifugal prior in motion processing. Journal of Neuroscience33(10), 4415-4423. LinkPDF